Athletics: Ogunleye shines over EM silver – Mihambo saves bronze

The gold miracle in the last attempt was missing for Yemisi Ogunleye this time, but the shot put Olympic champion also beamed over silver at the European Halle Championships. At 19.56 meters, the Mannheim woman remained with the superior success of the Dutchman Jessica signs without chance of another triumph. The local hero was a class of 20.69 meters in Apeldoorn to the delight of the spectators – among them King Willem -Alexander – with the world year best.

Ogunleye was happy about the “incredible performance of her” honestly and summed up: “Today was simply not in there. Every working day is different, you just have to take it as it comes. I still fought, I go home with silver, I can be super satisfied.” For the victory, she would have had to increase her recent personal best by more than 40 centimeters. It was the fourth German medal on the end, there was no title.

Mihambo in the last attempt on the podium

Not even for Malaika Mihambo, who as a master of strong nerves in the last attempt still jumped too bronze. The 31-year-old title collector was already worried that she could not celebrate her first hall title again. Because Mihambo only achieved a good set to 6.88 meters, winner Larissa Iapichino from Italy only jumped six centimeters.

“Overall, the competition was good, but below my possible potential. That leaves you with a teeth, but that’s how the sport is. You can’t always be at the top, and a medal is a medal,” said the ambitious long jump Olympic champion from 2021. She imagined the whole competition very differently, said Mihambo. Mihambo only hit the bounce beam at the end when it really got on it.

Previously violent fall from Assani

Before that, however, Mihambo had to see how her teammate Mikaelle Assani got stuck in the plastic track at full speed and fell. Helpers drove the crying Assani, who was eighth with 6.32 meters, with a wheelchair from the hall. As the German Athletics Association announced, a muscular injury in the left thigh flap was diagnosed in medical care.

Exactly the jump beam caught in the first attempt by Drezinger Max Heß, the European open-air champion from 2016 sailed to 17.43 meters-and in the end like Mihambo did not win the hoped-for first indoor title. The Olympic third Andy Díaz Hernández from Italy, born in Cuba, flew a long way from 17.71 meters and increased Hess’s world year best. The 28-year-old Chemnitzer was still happy with silver after four times Hallen-EM bronze.

Steinforth DETHRONT Neugebauer as a recorder

Heditor Till Steinforth not only beamed through bronze, but also through a German record. With 6,388 points, he decreased his indoor stamp. Steinforth collected 41 points more than a year ago in Boston a year ago and in Apeldoorn claimed third place after the final 1,000 meters with only eight points.

“The German record was definitely the goal,” said the 22-year-old from SV Halle. At the Olympics in Paris, the nominated Steinforth had finished 15th in the shadow of silver winner Neugebauer.